Load-tightening low-tension bolt rail joint



May 7, 1929. s. w. HUNT 1,712,349

LOAD TIGHTENING LOW TENSION BOLT RAIL JOINT Filed Sept. 30, 1927Ivwenfir:

Gauge Patented May 7, 1929.

. UNITED STATES.

GEORGE W. HUNT, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

LOAD-TIG-HTENING LOW-TENSION BOLT RAILJOINT.

Application filed September 30, 1927. Serial No. 222,987.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail joints forroad beds for rolling stock.

An object of the invention is to provide a rail joint having splice barsjoining the ends of the rails, which joint is so constructed as to forcethe splice bars into contact with the rails for maintaining a tightjoint by the wheel loads on the ails.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rail joint of theabove character where in the wear of the parts is taken up through theaction of the wheel loads on the rails.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rail joint includingsplice bars and. a base plate, wherein the wheel loads are car riedsolely by the base plate through the splice bars, and the parts are soconstructed that the wheel loads Will hold the joint tight, partiallyfreeing the bolts connecting the splice bars from strain under theloads, and

parts.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part behereinat'termore fully disclosed.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of theinvention Figure 1 is a viewshowing my improved rail joint in end view,and one of the rails as sectioned;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the joint.

The invention is directed broadly to a rail joint for joining the endsof rails on a road bed for rolling stock. The rail jointincludes threeessential parts, two splice bars and a supporting base plate. The splicebars are similar in construction, and are shaped and proportioned soasto engage the rail directly beneath the tread portion thereof and thebase flange of the rail. but so that said splicebars are normally freefrom contact withthe web. The base plateis provided with spaced risers,the inner faces of which are inclined to the vertical. Each. splice barhas a projecting base portion, the outer face of which is inclined tocorrespond to the inclination of the inner face of the riser. The

risers are so positioned on the base plate that when the risers are inproper relation. to the rail, the inclined faces of the base portion otthe splice bars will engage the inclined inner faces of the risers.Normally the upper face. of the pro ecting base portion Off the 5131106bar is above the upper taceoi the riser. The

rail is normally tree from the base plate and spaced above 1t, andsupported entirely by the splice bars through their engagement with thebase plate. Bolts are passed through the splice bars for holding thesame :t'rom slip ping out oi engagement with the rail when the rallisreleased from its load. Bolts are likewise provided. for preventing thesplice bars from slipping out of engagement with the base plate when theload is released. The bolts, however, are not depended solely upon tomaintain a tight joint, neither are they under full strain when thewheel loads pass over the ends of the rails connected by myilnprovedrail joint. The wheel load. on the ra1l is-supportcd by the splice bars,and the splice bars in turn are supported by the base plate. Theseinclined faces tend to ctorce the splice bars toward the rail web, andthus it is that the load will hold the splice bars in ti ght grippingcontact with the rail. Any Wear 01 the parts will be taken up by theload and absorbed by the spring washers.

Referring in detail to the drawings, my improved rail joint includes abase plate 1, splice bars 52, 2, bolts 3, 3 for joining the splice barsand holding the splice bars iii place relative to the ail ends-t and 5,and bolts 6, 6 which secure the splice bars to the base.

. Each base plate is provided with two risers 8 and 9. These risers areon opposite. sides otthe rail joint. The inner :face of each riser isinclined as indicated at 10. The splice bars are similar inconstruction, and each splice bar includes a bearing portion 11 which isnormally adapted to engage the under :lace ot the tread ot the rails.The splice bars are also provided with bearing surfaces 12 which engagethe base flanges 13 of the rails. Non mally, neither splice bar engagesthe web 14: ot the rail, tor reasons which will be stated. Each. splicebar has an outwardly projecting supporting base or arm 15. The outerface is inclined indicated at 16. The inclination of this face oi thesplice bar is substantially the same as the inclination of the inner:taces of the risers. It will be noted that the geometric axial plane ofthe PlOjGClliIlg arm 15 is substai'ltially horizontal and it is alsodisposed below a perpendicular to the inclined face of the ,riser at theline where said plane intersects the same. By this construction of thesplice bar a slightspring action is assured to the wheel load, thusmitigating the effect of impact or shock.

The splice bars are provided with two holes for bolts and only two boltsare necessary for joining the splice bars to the rail ends. These boltspass through holes which are drilled Very high in the web of the railends. Spring washers are used in conjunction with these bolts. There areonly two hold-down bolts, one on each side of the rail joint, and

Ill

= the rail and the base plate. The bolts 3, 3

therefore,are mainly for the purpose to prevent thev splice bars fromslipping out of place relative to the rails when the wheel loadsarereleased. For this reason, the number ofbolts used in joining thesplice bars is reduced to a minimum. The holes being placed high throughthe web of the rail, better perform their function of preventing theupper ends of the splice bars from slipping out of proper relation tothe rail. The force of the load on the rail ends through the splice barswilltend to move the splice bars downward against the base plate, as therail is supported free of the base plate and solely by the splicebars,as noted above. The upper face of the baseportion of the splice bar isnormally above the upper face of the riser,

so that as the parts wear, and the splice bars move further down alongthe inclined surface of the riser, thehold-down bolts may be tightened.These hold-down bolts do not carry the load, but function mainly toprevent the lower projecting ends of'the splice bars from becomingdisplaced relative tothe risers when the load. is released. Inasmuch asthe splice bars are bolted to the rails and the hold-downv bolts passthrough portions of the splice bars, andthe base plates, and the baseplates are also spiked to the ties, said hold-down bolts will serve toprevent rail creeping. Only two hold-down bolts are necessary. Theinclinationof the inner faces of the risers and the outer faces of thesplice barslmay be varied. It is essential, however, that they shall beso positioned as to produce a wedging action which forces the splicebarsagainstthe rail.

It willbe noted from the above that my improved rail joint is maintainedtight through thewheel loads on the ends of the rails, and therefore,the joint is constantly kept tight, takingup any wear as it occurs, andpreventing lost motion in the joint, which of course, accelerates thewear. It will also be noted that my improved joint provides maximumrigidityunder the load, when most needed, and relaxes when the load isreleased, and this will give a greater latitude for proper expansion andcontraction.

It is obvious that changes in the details of construction and theproportion of the parts may be made without departing from the. spiritof the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Lettors-Patent, is

1. A rail joint including splice bars joining the ends of the rails anda base plate oining and supporting the splice bars, said splice barseach having a bearing surface adapted to engage the under face of thetread of the rail and a bearing face adapted to engage the base flangeof the rail, said base plate having risers and said splice bars havingprojecting portions adapted to engage the risers whereby the rail issupported solely by the splice bars and risers, means for securing thesplice bars together and to the rail, said projecting portions of thesplice bars being so constructed and. proportioned that the geometricaxial plane of said projecting portions is substan tially horizontal anddisposed below a plane at right angles to the face'of the riser at theline where said geometric plane intersects the same.

2. A rail joint including splice bars joining the ends of the rails anda base plate joining and supporting the splice bars, said splice barseach having a bearing surface ada ted to engage the under face of thetread o the rails and a bearing face adapted to engage the base flangeof the rail, said base plate having risers and said splice bars havingpro'ecting portions adapted to engage the risers w ereby said rail issupported solely by the splice bars and risers, the contact facesbetween the splice bars and the risers being inclined upwardly andoutwardly so that a plane perpendicular to the face of the riser midwaybetween the vertical extremes of the bearing face of the riserintersects the web of the rail on a line intermediate the bearingsurfaces of the splice bar on the rail.

3. A rail joint including s lice bars joining the ends of the rails anda ase plate joining and supporting the splice bars, said splice barseach having a bearing surface ada ted to engage the under face of thetread o the rail, and a bearing face adapted to engage the base flangeof the rail, said base plate having risers and said splice bars havingprojecting portions adapted to engage the risers whereby said rail issupported solely by the splice bars and the risers, bolts for oining thesplice bars for maintaining the same in contact with the rail, andhold-down bolts for joining the splice bars to the base plate forholding the same in position relative thereto.

4:. A rail joint including splice bars joining the ends of the rails anda base plate joinlng and supporting the splice bars, said splice barseach having a bearing surface adapted to engage the under face of thetread of the rail,

and a bearing face adapted to engage the base flange of the rail, saidbase plate having risers and said splice bars having projecting portionsadapted to engage the risers whereby said rail is supported solely bythe splice bars and the risers, bolts for joining the splice bars formaintaining the same in contact with the rail, and hold-down bolts foroining the splice bars to the base plate for holding the same inposition relative thereto, the contact faces betwen the splice bars andthe risers being inclined upwardly and outwardly, Whereby the wheel loadon the ends of the rail will tighten said rail joint.

5. A rail joint including splice bars joining the ends of the rails anda base plate joining and supporting the splice bars, said splice barseach having a bearing surface adapted to engage the under face of thetread of the rail and a bearing face extending throughout the length ofthe bar adapted to engage the base flange of the rail, said base platehaving risers provided with hearing faces substantially parallel withthe longitudinal axis of the rail, said splice bars including projectingportions disposed at the lower extremity thereof and adapted to engagethe bearing faces on the risers whereby the rail is supported solely bythe splice bars and risers, the contacting faces between the splice barsand the risers being inclined upwardly and outwardly, said risers beingspaced from the web of the rail and having the lower ends of theirinclined portions spaced above the lower ends of the inclined portionson the base plate whereby the wheel load 011 the end of the rail willtighten said rail joint, and means a for retaining said splice bars inplace relative to the rail and the base plate.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

GEORGE WV. HUNT.

